Posts [ 8 ]

Topic: Absolute Beginner

I'm a fresh starter to Rails. But before I get started Id like to make sure my prereqs are in order. I am well rounded with XHTML and CSS, I am very comfortable with Javascript and I have worked with a bit of serverside (PHP) and mySQL. Am I ready to take on rails without putting myself out to much? Also what direction would you take if you were in my position?

Re: Absolute Beginner

I'm for all intents and purposes a newbie as well, but I've done a lot of research into how to learn Ruby and Rails and have written a few posts on my blog that list out the steps that I have taken/will take to learn everything. I've already finished both of the Lynda.com video sets and am now halfway done with both watching the RailsSpace videos and The Rails Way. Once you have a grasp of Ruby and Rails, the Rails Way is an amazing book to read, very informative.

My blog address is in my signature if you want to go check out my more detailed list...

Re: Absolute Beginner

pthornton614 wrote:

I'm a fresh starter to Rails. But before I get started Id like to make sure my prereqs are in order. I am well rounded with XHTML and CSS, I am very comfortable with Javascript and I have worked with a bit of serverside (PHP) and mySQL. Am I ready to take on rails without putting myself out to much? Also what direction would you take if you were in my position?

As Rails is a framework for constructing web sites/applications, I think it would help you to have "an idea/web site" that you can use as a basis for your training/learning - that way you should be able to keep the momentum, when things get tough!

Remember you can work on the 3 main areas (Models, Views, Controllers) a little at a time. I.e. You can construct your tables/relationships (aka models) before you construct any views or controllers - this way of working can help to boost your confidence with Rails.

If you are working on your own then I'd recommend spending some time (upfront) on a few sketches that outline the major paths/interactions/screens that you expect the end user to traverse.

A lot of stuff(blogs) has been written about Ruby/Rails much of it is a rehash of existing material - find 2 or 3 sites that you like and stick with them. One of the better ones, IMO, is www.railscast.com which is owned by one of the moderators on this site.

Re: Absolute Beginner

devonps wrote:

A lot of stuff(blogs) has been written about Ruby/Rails much of it is a rehash of existing material - find 2 or 3 sites that you like and stick with them. One of the better ones, IMO, is http://railscasts.com/ which is owned by one of the moderators on this site.

Re: Absolute Beginner

There's a great book called "Agile Web Development with Rails" by Dave Thomas and David Hansson. If you have any sort of web-programming experience, it will walk you through everything you need to know to get a Rails app running. And it teaches by example, so you have lots of working code to play with. I read it, and now I know enough to do most of what I want in Rails apps

Re: Absolute Beginner

Agile Web Development with Rails. Get it (the hard copy - it's a good reference as well as a guide to starting). Start programming. It's that simple. (OK, it's a little out of date with Rails 2.0, but it's plenty good if you're willing to use the internet to fill in the holes. )

A book on Ruby would be helpful too. I'm a fan of Ruby for Rails by David Black. Programming Ruby is the standard reference, but that's really all it is - a reference. Ruby for Rails is more of an introduction to the language within the context of Rails.

I learned Rails starting from scratch (FORTAN was my last programming experience!) by reading a stack of books that was literally three feet high. Those three I mentioned above are the only ones I keep on my desk.